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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5

< Chess Opening Theory | 1. e4 | 1...e6 | 2. d4
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French Defence
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black pawnf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black pawne5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 white pawne4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w

Moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5

French Defence

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By advancing the d-pawn two squares, Black poses an immediate challenge to the powerful white center. White has a number of responses:

3. Nc3: There is a large amount of complex theory behind this move. Black has many possible answers, including 3...Bb4 (the Winawer Variation), which leads to extremely complex positions (which are usually closed).

3. e5 (Advance Variation): White advances the pawn and puts immediate pressure on Black's kingside, but Black will be more than capable of putting the pawn wedge under serious attack with moves like c5, Nc6, Qb6, and Nf5 after Nh6.

3. Nd2 (Tarrasch Variation): This is less common than 3. Nc3, as it blocks the bishop on c1 and does not put any pressure on d5. It is much safer but also less ambitious and harder to get an advantage with. Black has two main options here: they can play 3...Nf6 to force 4. e5 and then attack the pawn wedge at both base and head with the breaks c5 and f6, or they can play 3...c5, eventually ending up with active pieces while dealing with an isolated d-pawn.

3. exd5 (Exchange Variation): This is unambitious and gives Black equal chances, but it avoids the complications of the other variations.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
3 4
French Defence (Main Line) Nc3
Nf6		 Bg5
Be7		 =
Tarrasch Variation Nd2
Nf6		 e5
Nfd7		 =
Advance Variation e5
c5		 c3
Nc6		 =
Exchange Variation exd5
exd5		 Bd3
Bd6		 =

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References

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Wikipedia has related information at French Defence

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